Fujinon XC15-45mmF3.5-5.6 OIS PZ Lens - Black

Those who have experience with the incredible Fuji "XF" lenses, particularly models like the XF 56mm, the XF 90mm, and the XF 35mm (either variant), might have an instinctive "lurch" backward when Fuji puts out another "XC" lens because we know that any "XC" lens is not going to be constructed with those first-rate steel components, silky smooth focus rings, and wonderfully designed leaf shutters of the "XF" line. However, much of photography is knowing what you need and when you need it, and almost always under any but the most exceptional conditions, consists of a series of compromises that the photographer must work around to get the desired shot.And thus it is with this little fellow, a new "XC" lens, not manufactured in Japan (mine is from the Philippines), not built of steel (the "XC" models use all plastic), not supplied with a standard Fuji black rear end cap (a push-on style semi-opaque white plastic piece is substituted), and packaged in a minimalist fashion (not as some "XF" lenses come, with black-fold magnetically attached flaps, lens cloths/wraps, etc.). So, why bother? Well, because--and this has been my contention for many years now, and am not alone in this viewpoint--that most of the "XC" lenses take terrific images because they still contain well designed and well-crafted glass elements which, together, makes up the "lens," and then simply omit all those wonderful other construction components we love in the "XF" line but are also priced accordingly. Some of the best photos I have taken, for example, were surprisingly taken with the humble XC 16-50mm lens, a model that was routinely scoffed at because of its plastic construction and because it was the kit lens for Fuji's least expensive model, the original "X-A1" (but more on the XC 16-50mm lens, below). But it is not, ultimately, all that beautiful metal and silky aperture rings that make an image, but the glass elements employed in a lens, and Fuji doesn't skimp very much on this, even when they put out an "XC" model.This new "XC" lens fills a much-neglected hole in the X-mount line-up in regards to field of view, starting at a pretty wide 15mm and zooming up to a modest 45mm. This range is actually the field of view where many photographers take the majority of their outdoor shots, and sometimes, indoors, and the closest we could previously achieve would be to choose an XF 14, 16, or 18mm prime lens, and then, when a wider shot was desired, move into the much more expensive, but brilliant, XF 10-24mm, which takes superb photos, but only zooms to 24mm, making it, essentially, a specialist lens (I use that lens, for example, all the time to shoot the interiors of French cathedrals). So, what this new entry into the Fujinon lens line provides is a VERY lightweight lens that begins at a quite wide 15mm width and then zooms, via with a zoom-by-wire mechanism, the first, I believe, in the Fuji lineup, to an acceptable 45mm.Build quality is actually very good, despite it being one of the few Fujinon lenses not manufactured in Japan. Once you get used to its lightness, you can begin to discern that it is actually a well-built item, and the zoom-by-wire mechanism, too, works very well, requiring only a small turn of the ring (which can be done with a single finger!) to go all the way from one end to the other. As with many Fuji lenses, there is one ring for zoom, and a separate ring for focus, but there are no mechanical switches to turn off OIS or to turn off auto-aperture modes; these are accomplished through the menu system of the camera itself. No one will argue, I think, that Fuji precision lenses--even the most expensive ones--cannot be damaged by mistreatment: lens elements can become de-centered, etc., if one drops the lens, or perhaps knocks one into the sides of a doorway while passing through. But I will tell you a story that may shed some insight into the quality of the build of even the "XC" lenses. A number of years ago, I was photographing the Eiffel Tower from the Passy Viaduct in Paris and was swapping lenses. At one point, I dropped the XC 16-50mm lens about three feet to the concrete, and the lens bounced two or three times and then rolled away from me down the pavement. Of course, it was certainly ruined. But I dusted it off, tried to make sure there were no embedded dust, dirt, or pebbles, and then re-mounted the dropped lens onto the camera I was using at the time, which was the X-A1 (my first Fuji camera). I was shocked to find that the lens still worked just fine. Other than two small gouges in the plastic where the lens impacted the cement, the lens operated correctly, and I continued to use it repeatedly throughout that trip. Now, "don't try this at home," but it demonstrates that these "XC" lenses are NOT junk, but are just made of plastic, rather than steel (for example, the mounting plate on this 15-45mm lens is fully plastic, not brass).Image quality of this lens is quite good. The lens has a surprising sharpness and good color, too, particularly for this price point. No, it won't surpass your XF 16mm prime lens, but that's a completely unfair comparison with one of Fuji's nicest, and at three times the price. (But, nevertheless, you might be able to slip some shots from this lens past an experienced Fuji viewer with little indication the photos were taken with Fuji's least expensive lens.) It's light, too, and so if you are using the new X-H1 camera, you can "buy back" some of that extra weight while still having a decent range of view. The "fly-by-wire" focusing technology is different from the other Fuji lenses, and I would not necessarily wish to see it implemented on the high-end XF models, but it still works very well and is quick, too. Focusing is also fast and quiet. I have not noticed any focus hunting to speak of. You can see the sample images that others have posted, and once I get some of my own processed, I'll try to upload a few myself.So, for a $300 model, this lens is WELL worth the price and probably belongs in most Fuji shooter's arsenal of lenses. It's certainly an excellent choice for a vacation lens, so long as you supplement with a longer range lens when you need it. I love to shoot wide, but I don't always want to carry around the XF 10-24. This lens gets me pretty close to that, though, and at 1/3 the price. Actually, it's a bargain if you can accept that it is NOT an XF lens. This lens is a no-brainer, then, even for those shooting with the much more expensive XF lenses. It's too bad that some Fuji X users, I believe, will overlook the lens because of its price point. Five stars, and congratulations, Fuji, for continuing to impress us, even with your least expensive lens model!ONE-MONTH UPDATEWell, I've been playing around with this lens now for more than a month, and just used it over the weekend on a shoot, along with a number of the much more expensive Fuji lenses. I was literally shocked at the image quality this lens produced, even when compared with some of the much more expensive Fuji lenses. Very sharp images, and good image quality. I say again: don't overlook this lens because of its price and because it is an "XC" model. This lens is truly an outperformer in both image quality and price!Plusses++ Great wide end (15mm) that zooms to 45mm++ Optical Image stabilization built-in++ Good sharpness and color++ Fast autofocus++ Quiet autofocus++ Automatic barrel extension keeps the lens shorter when not in use++ Very light (only about 130g)++ Good quality and configuration of lens elements—not much skimping here!++ Fly-by-wire zooming works fast and can be controlled with a single finger++ Well constructed, even though it is all plastic and glass rather than the metal and glass of the "XF" line++ Better-adhering lens cap than some of the most expensive XF lenses (Fuji is now slowly doing something about their front "cap problem" so many have commented on; if you want an excellent, inexpensive replacement for Fuji front caps, I recommend 77mm Snap-On Center-Pinch Lens Cap, Extra Strong Springs, Perfect Fit Camera Lens Cover, Made From 100% Recycled Plastic - Compatible With Nikon, Canon, Sony & Other DSLR Cameras)++ The least expensive Fujinon lens on the marketMinuses-- Like all "XC" lenses, does not come with the standard black Fuji rear end cap (what's this all about?)-- Not the metal and glass construction of the "XF" line (is this really a minus? It's the entire point of the XC line)-- No carrying case provided (well, would we expect that with a relatively inexpensive lens? However, I believe that Fuji is making a BIG mistake not supplying high-quality cases with ALL their lenses, with "FUJINON" marked right on them. Most people would gladly pay the extra ten dollars for a good case, and Fuji would be taking advantage of a great marketing opportunity. Said another way, Fuji is MISSING OUT on a HUGE opportunity by not including branded lens cases with all their lenses.)

I wanted a small, unobtrusive little zoom to go with my recently purchased Fujifilm X-E3, and the reviews on the little 15-45mm were mostly positive. Build-quality wise, it's a kit lens, but it's still nicely made. Optically, it's capable of really good results. It doesn't have an aperture ring, so you have to adjust the aperture with the camera's front control dial, which isn't that big a deal once you get that in your head. The power-zoom feature is actually nice once you get used to it, but I have no idea how that'll hold up down the road. Several reviews said that that feature died on them, making the lens useless, but I've got my fingers crossed and will baby this lens more than I do my other pro-level ones.It's small, it's light, and the fact that it's wider on the wide end than the usual kit lens--23mm equivalent versus the more common 28mm equivalent--is a big plus. Unless I know I'm going to need something super wide, I can leave the 10-24mm zoom at home, and have a lighter camera bag. Long-term durability is still a question, but after a month's worth of use, including several weekend getaways, I'm glad I bought it.

This lens is short. When camera turns on, it extends out. The zoom ring and the zoom action are not synchronized. The zoom ring's location is sensed, then the motor is driven to match the required focal length. On slow bodies, you might miss the shot. Optically, the lens is sharp.

Fujinon XC15-45mmF3.5-5.6 OIS PZ Lens - BlackI purchased this lenses to complement a couple of lightweight primes (the 18 mm 2.0 and 23 mm F2.0) that I use when shooting with the Fuji X-E3. I have done some preliminary comparisons with the much larger pro-level XF 16-55 mm (that I now use with the X-H1) shooting at F5.6 in good light. Although this is an unfair, unscientific comparison, this smaller lens performed reasonably well. (Can you tell which one was shot with which lens and body in the samples below? If not, you’ll probably be very happy with it for most purposes). It is fairly sharp, fast-focusing, has good color rendition, however, more barrel distortion is apparent in wide-angle shots. It is roughly equal to a 23-69 mm (full frame equiv.) compared to the 24-85 mm (equiv.) for the larger XF 16-55 F2.8. For serious landscape and architectural shooting, the XF 16-55 will still be my choice, but for light travel and more discrete street shooting, this is a nice match for the X-E3. Another choice is the capable XF 18-55 F2.8-4.0, which is much larger, not as wide, and more than twice the price. As an XC lens, the 15-45 mm build quality and absence of controls is not up to XF standards. I would have been willing to pay a little more for a metal mount and better build quality, but overall this little lens works well and is a good value when you want a lighter kit.

Fantastic lens. Sharp, beautiful colors. So small and lightweight. Rectilinear so no annoying wide angle distortions at 15mm when held level. Perfect for travel when you don’t want to carry your big wide angle lens. I keep a Fuji XF55-200 lens on my XT-2 body for bird photography. This XC-15-45 on my XE-2s lets me take landscapes and people shots without having to change lenses in the field.The only shortcoming is the power zoom which makes zooming to a particular composition difficult. Even at slow power it is difficult to precisely stop it.